Nobody knows how to make Denver anxious like the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Anthony Edwards resurrected the Wolves with a dramatic game-tying 3-pointer to cap a 15-point fourth-quarter comeback, but the Nuggets’ two stars sent their fans home happy after a collective Christmas heart attack on Thursday. Nikola Jokic amassed 54 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists. Jamal Murray added 35 points including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining in overtime.
That was enough for a 142-138 Nuggets win without three injured starters and 3-0 season series lead over their division rivals, who’ve haunted the halls of Ball Arena by handing Denver heart-breaking losses in recent years.
Those ghosts might have been exorcised as Edwards walked to the locker room early, ejected with 20 seconds left in OT after a pair of technical fouls in quick succession. Denver enthusiastically wished him a merry Christmas on his way out. He left with 44 points on 25 shots.
But Jokic got the last laugh, bellowing with excitement after Edwards was issued one of his techs.
The Nuggets ended the game on a 27-14 run in the last three minutes of the extra period. But their comeback saved them from their own collapse.
In regulation, Nuggets led 106-91 with five minutes to go. They led 113-107 with 35 seconds remaining after seemingly staving off an initial 16-2 run. But Minnesota was granted one last life when Edwards drew a foul on a 3-point attempt, allowing him to cut the deficit in half and Chris Finch to play out the ensuing defensive possession without fouling.
Jamal Murray committed a live-ball turnover late in the shot clock, and Jaden McDaniels flushed an easy transition dunk with 4.8 seconds to go. The time was down to 3.6 after Nikola Jokic made a pair of free throws. That’s when Edwards worked his magic, sinking into the corner in front of his bench and knocking down a desperation game-tying three with 1.1 seconds left. Denver didn’t have a timeout left to advance the ball.
Edwards demanded the ball early in overtime. Jokic did not. The Timberwolves surged ahead 124-115 with three minutes to go, a 17-2 run since the three-shot foul late in regulation.
David Adelman called timeout just to stop the bleeding, but it somehow corrected his players’ jump shots as well. Jokic buried a 3-pointer on the after-timeout play. Tim Hardaway Jr., starting in place of the injured Cam Johnson, hit one in transition. Jokic buried one again. The Nuggets were within two.
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Somehow, the action was only getting started. Jokic got whistled for a foul that left the entire Nuggets bench incredulous after Gobert tipped a ball into the backcourt with 56 seconds remaining. Adelman challenged the foul, and it turned out to be the best challenge of his young head coaching career. The call was switched to Gobert, who was disqualified while Jokic stepped to the foul line.
He and Edwards traded two points, setting up Murray’s go-ahead bucket from his favorite spot on the left wing.
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